1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable battery is designed to be repeatedly charged and discharged, unlike a primary battery. A rechargeable battery having a relatively small capacity may be used in (e.g., to power or as a power source for) a small portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, a laptop computer, or a camcorder, and a rechargeable battery having a relatively large capacity may be used as a power source for driving a motor of a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle.
A rechargeable battery generally includes an electrode assembly that performs a charge and discharge operation (e.g., may be charged and discharged), a case that houses or accommodates the electrode assembly and an electrolyte solution, a cap plate that is coupled to an opening of the case, an electrode terminal that is installed in the cap plate, and a lead tab that connects the electrode terminal and the electrode assembly.
The rechargeable battery may have a fuse in the lead tab that is disposed within the case to cut-off or block a current flow in response to an overcurrent, and the rechargeable battery may also have an external short circuit portion at the outside of the cap plate to cut-off or block a current flow upon overcharging.
However, when the fuse at the inside of the rechargeable battery is cut (e.g., is melted), an arc may occur. Because the arc cannot be easily controlled, when the fuse reconnects (e.g., when the two disconnected portions of the fuse are connected due to, for example, arcing), a short circuit may occur in the external short circuit portion.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.